Living with the Monsoon

Bangladesh, a riverine country shaped by the yearly monsoon, where dense cities continue to grow as people leave the flooded rural areas in search of shelter and income.

Situated along the Surma River in Sylhet, a city in the north of Bangladesh, this project explores how to design within an unfamiliar context, with the temporality of the monsoon in mind. The site, currently an informal settlement of Hindu and Muslim communities, floods each year as water flows into their houses and daily life moves onto the streets.

Acknowledging the position of being an outsider and the generations of experience in living with the monsoon, the research took a ‘learning from’-perspective. By analysing how people build, live, and adapt to the water, these practices were mapped in detail to understand patterns and principles. This became the foundation for the design; building in clusters with shared courtyards, keeping the dwellings close to the ground floor, integrating Bangladesh-specific elements into the floorplans and making room for the monsoon in the landscape. A raised plinth protects the buildings during high water, allowing life to continue even during wet season.

Rather than relying on imported resources, the design uses local materials so that the project’s investment flows directly into the community, supporting local economies and craftsmanship.